Woodland ride
by ReadingFix
Summary: Guy of Gisborne, Robin hood and Marian reminisce over a fateful childhood ride through the forest. Only they all remember it very differently.
1. Chapter 1

"Saddle up boys" Marian giggled at the two dishevelled teens that stood before her, one with a nasty cut down his left cheek and the other with a swollen eye that was becoming blacker by the second. They glared at each other as the smile faded from her face. "Robin? Guy? Are you two going to fight again? Because, well, I don't like seeing you both get hurt. And I'm getting fed up of making excuses for you both and fixing robins nose when you... Urm he... When it gets broken". She looked down embarrassed, scuffing the toe of her riding boots into the earth that had been turned to dust by the scorching summer sun. When she glanced up from beneath her lashes she saw the two boys still glaring at each other, Robin standing tall, his hair glinting copper in the sunlight and Guy, dressed in his rough black work clothes, slightly slouched clenching and unclenching his fists. Robin turned suddenly and bowed low to Marian. "Of course my lady let us ride. Though", here he glanced at Guy, "I think we should go slow due to lack of proficiency on some of our trios part". Marian pouted crossing her slim arms. "But Guy can ride fast. Besides. This is a much better way of seeing who gets to dance with me first" she said with sly grin on her face. She turned and pulled herself into the saddle of her mare in a fluid movement. The mare pawed the ground nervously, flicking her ears back in a gesture that reminded Guy of a deer ready to bolt. "Marian" a warning note entering his voice as he stepped forward intending to catch the reins. But he was too late. Robin was already in the saddle of his own horse which trotted forward between Guy and Marian. "Is it to be a race then my lady?" Robin smirked. "Yes Rob. But let me get a head start of say a few minutes?". 


	2. Chapter 2

"Marian!" Guy's voice cut through the sound of hoof beats as the mare and her rider galloped down the dirt path that lead into the Forest. Her only reaction was to laugh and dig her heels in harder, her horse's strides lengthening as she disappeared in a cloud of dust. Guy sighed and walked over to where his horse was tethered, wiping at the cut on his cheek with a corner of his course jerkin, knowing from experience that the blood wouldn't show on the dark fabric.

"Sir. Sir. Gisborne." the small voice broke through his reverie. His eyes again focused on the court yard that was lit by warm sunlight. He sighed, pushing himself up from his leaning position and turned from the window. Clenching his hands to remove the stiffness the leaning had caused, he walked away from the window and sunlight into the shadow of the room. Ah the shadows, he thought with grim amusement, my old friends. Ones who are always there and who I know so well. But he wasn't in anyone's shadow now. No, he was Guy of Gisborne and no one stood in his way. He still wore black but the blood that sometimes fell on it was no longer his.

Robin rode along smirking to himself despite the pain in his swollen eye. He knew that he would find Marian first and even if he didn't, it wouldn't matter. He outranked Guy and that was all that mattered. Her father would be there and he knew that Guy would have to wait to dance with Marian, if he was allowed to dance with her at all. Slowing down to a trot he breathed in the cool air of the forest wishing he knew enough of the herb lore to be able to fix his eye. He had to give it to Guy, that boy had a mean right hook. Glancing at the well-worn path he tried to look for hoof prints but the dappled light and useless right eye made it difficult. Sighing he pulled on the rains halting and dismounting in a rather ungainly fashion. Bending down he crouched looking at the trail trying to spot any indication that Marian had ridden this way. Cursing Guy for causing his temporary blindness in his eye he stood as he knew he would find nothing. He was just about to mount when something caught his eye. Marian may not have come this way, but someone else had.


End file.
